Anne Snape
by Amledo
Summary: Severus Snape never really knew or cared that he had and Aunt, but when he is told of the goings on in the home of his cousins, he takes action. And a little boy with emerald eyes will benefit as well. Not your typical OC story. No pairings yet.
1. The Letter in Green Writing

(A/N: Yes I am doing Harry Potter fanfiction. I know that I shouldn't lead with an OC but I am. I will endeavor to keep her from being a Mary Sue and should she go that route, I will correct her as best I can as long as you tell me so in a civil tone. Shrieking at me like banshees will probably turn the story into a Sue-fest. I don't own Harry Potter, if I did, my beloved Severus and the wonderful Remus would be alive, as would our friend Hedwig and all around trouble-maker Fred. Anyway, this story contains mentions of abuse and Snape being a sweetheart in his own way. Also Good!Tobias and Loving!Eileen and loads more. On with the show!)

Chapter 1—The Letter in Green Writing

Her thoughts were restless, chaotic at the worst of times and uncomfortable at best. A letter had arrived for her earlier that day, coming right in through the vents above the attic window under which she slept. She had promptly hidden it inside of her pillow case, hoping that it would not be discovered when her mother got home. Mostly she was frightened of what the heavy parchment envelope might contain.

It claimed to be from a place called Hogwarts. And that Hogwarts was a school for witches and wizards, like her, apparently. Though what worried her the most was that the envelope stated, in brilliantly shining green ink, that the 'Crate Under the Attic Window' was her address. At least it didn't mention that it was a dog crate. If her mother thought that she had been telling people about her living conditions, or that she had somehow been seen…she scrubbed harder at the kitchen tiles to chase the thought from her mind.

"Anne," the soft voice of her older brother managed to break through the panicked haze that surrounded her mind. It took her a moment, sitting frozen in fear that her mother was home before he lifted her head. Dull yet glassy brown eyes stared up at their near exact match and she ran a wet soapy hand through her roughly shorn brown hair. Were he not 5 years older than her, they would look similar enough to pass for twins, especially with her mother refusing to allow her to have 'normal girl' hair.

"She isn't coming home today, or tomorrow," he said after a moment, hoping to sort out his sister's confusion. When it sank in, a visible change came over the girl. A sigh of relief passed her lips and her small frame sagged as the tension flooded out of it. She dropped her scrubbing sponge back into the bucket that had come from the supply closet in the hallway. While Eric was nearly 16 years of age, he dearly wished to skip straight past his birthday so that he could begin the emancipation process and hopefully gain custody of the battered girl called Anne.

He bent slightly at his knees and scooped the tiny 10 year old into his arms. She was so light and so short that she barely passed for a 7 year old and he secretly wondered if she would ever recover from the neglect that had made her that way. He had barely managed to have his most recent growth spurt and was still mistaken for a 12 year old himself. Always mindful of her latest batch of bruises, he guided her down from his arms and into their mother's seat at the kitchen table, the one with the cushioned back and seat. He fought back tears at the feeling of her skeletal frame and did his best to make sure that she didn't notice the distress it caused him. It could set her off in a fit of tears to know that he had to treat her like she was so fragile that he might break her at any moment.

"Breakfast?" he asked and she nodded quickly, her eyes shining with hope. He wished that she could speak to him properly, but the ultrasensitive dog collar that was strapped around her neck would shock her if she so much as coughed. It was secured in the back with a padlock that he didn't have the key to.

But she had always found a way and by time he was placing their breakfast on the table she had found a pad of paper and a pencil. Clutched in the tiny fingers of her left hand she used the pencil to write in small, neat words '_can you keep a secret?_' in the upper corner of the paper.

He met her gaze as he passed her a fork and gave her a firm nod. He had always kept her secrets. If there was something that she needed him to know and not their mother, then that would be the way of it. She savored a few bites of her rare treat before penning the question that had been eating at her since she'd opened her eyes that morning.

'_Is your boarding school called Hogwarts?'_ His reaction was instant, his back going stiff and his eyes widening as he clutched more tightly at his fork. Monstrous hope and fear entered his heart as he stared at his little sister.

"How do you know about it? I mean, yes it is, but you aren't supposed to…" he stopped himself from stammering as he watched her produce a response.

'_I got a letter this morning. From a school for witches and wizards. So that means I'm a witch and you are a wizard. But how did they know about my crate?'_ She wrote and he could feel her confusion. But the only thing that ran through his mind was relief, like a pack of wild boars it charged through him and left him devoid of all other feelings.

"Oh, thank God," he whispered and hugged her softly, not interrupting her eating. If he didn't make sure to feed her as often as he could (which he had to admit wasn't often enough) he wouldn't have given her bacon and eggs for breakfast for fear that it would make her ill.

"I want to go," she spoke in the tiniest whisper imaginable, but it was enough to make him weep. He kissed her cheek and her forehead and nodded furiously.

"Finish your breakfast. I'm calling Uncle Severus," Eric said and snatched the phone from its cradle on the kitchen wall, punching numbers in as quickly as he could. Anne sat at the table and continued to eat her breakfast, finishing it all in record time before starting on the remains of Eric's with nearly as much gusto. As he waited to be connected Eric motioned for her to go and get her letter, so that was exactly what she did.

(A/N: And that's the first chapter. I think you've guessed maybe that this is a Severus as a guardian fic. I shan't give too much away, but he is a pretty big softie at some points. I will warn you, my Severus never lost Lilly, never became a Death Eater, and was on fair terms with the Marauders. Don't like that? Ok, you can stop with this chapter. Thanks for reading!)


	2. Uncle Severus and the Dust Girl

(A/N: So this is the second installment of a story that I'm not entirely sure of the length of. I hope you find it to be enjoyable and will maybe tell me what you think of it. The last thing I want is a Sue, so if I have one, go ahead and tell me, just, nicely for the love of everything Potter. I don't own anything you see here except Eric and Anne. Also, they are in no way intended to represent real persons living or dead etc. On with the show!)

Chapter 2— Uncle Severus and the Dust Girl

Anne raced up the stairs and climbed the ladder to the small attic above their house. She walked through all the stacks of plastic tubs containing her mother's unwanted clothes and made it to the back of the tiny room. The pet crate designed for a Great Dane, their former pet, was lined with a ratty blanket and a thin pillow under which the shape of her letter was clear. She retrieved the letter and the battered teddy bear that had kept her company for the last decade before turning her back on the cage that she was locked into most every night.

When she arrived in the kitchen it was to the sight of her brother pouring a mug of coffee for their Uncle. The man with the burning dark eyes and long ebon hair that shone in the light fixed his gaze on her and the rest of the color drained from his pale face. She flinched back from him, he had never shown her anything but kindness, but his reaction was startling.

"Anne, come here child," he said in a low baritone, mastering his voice so as not to frighten the girl any more than he already had.

She approached him cautiously, clutching the letter to her almost as tightly as she clung to her teddy bear that she had named Harry when she was only two years old. The bear had a story that Eric had never been told and its eyes, vividly green, were not the ones that the bear had been made with.

"Hello Uncle," her tiny voice triggered the collar and tears welled up in her eyes at the pain that shot through her. Hot anger flashed in those black eyes and Uncle Severus pulled a length of wood from his sleeve. He pointed it at the lock on the collar, whispered something that Anne couldn't hear, and the lock clicked open. In the blink of an eye he had pulled the thing from her neck, flung it to the floor, and destroyed it with another muttered word and a wave of the stick.

"Hello Anne, I'm sorry for not coming sooner. We didn't know that you would be a witch," he looked truly pained about this and shook his head, "I am a Professor at Hogwarts, and since you are now able to be a student, I will be taking you from here. Do you have anything you want to bring with you?" Severus asked as he lightly rested his hands on the frail shoulders of the girl standing in front of him. She would be 11 in less than a week, and frankly he was glad that her letter had jumped the gun.

"Just Harry, he's my best friend aside from Eric, because he's my age," she said and indicated the bear with a sad little pet of its threadbare head. Severus looked at the tiny bear and was startled by its eyes and the uncanny choice of name. He considered his niece for a moment before resolving to ask her about it.

"Harry? He's a special bear isn't he? Just look at those eyes," Severus said gently, hoping to get her to volunteer at least a small bit of information without directly asking her. But he fully expected the answer that she gave, because the instant he had seen the child, he had known that she was a Seer and that that was why she had been so early in receiving her letter. He just wasn't sure how he had never seen it before, then again, she had always been good at screening her mind from him.

"He's not really a bear. He's a little boy that lives in a cupboard under the stairs. His mummy and daddy died and now he lives with his Aunt and Uncle and they hurt him like mummy hurts me. We talk every night, except when they hit him real bad and he can't visit me," she explained in her tiny voice and snuggled the bear, as if trying to reassure the little boy that it represented.

"Its eyes didn't always look that way. They turned green when Anne was 2, on Halloween night. I never really thought about it as accidental magic before," Eric said and earned a glance from Severus that was as much accepting as it was sorrowful. Neither of them had suspected that Anne might be a witch. If only they had known she could have been removed from the house the moment Severus realized the existence of his relations. It hadn't ever been mentioned that he had an Aunt Sophie because as it turned out, she was a barfly of a woman who took home a new man every night. Tobias might have liked his drinks but he knew how to take care of his family. So Aunt Sophie remained a secret until one Eric Tobias Snape was sorted into Ravenclaw five years before.

"Eric, go and get your school trunk, pack all of your clothes and books. Take everything that you will miss should you never see it again. You won't have to leave school early. You're living with me from now on. I'll not have you missing out on an education," Severus said and gently took the letter from Anne's hand. He spent a moment looking at Anne's name and the address before swallowing thickly and hoisting Anne to sit on his shoulders. He followed Eric up the stairs and noted that the boy stopped at a narrow door that led to a small room without a window, taken up mostly by a mattress or more accurately, the cushion for a futon and a Hogwarts trunk.

Severus continued on, keeping Anne perched on his shoulders as he climbed up to the attic. He glanced between the stacks of plastic tubs and found his way to the crate that the letter spoke of. Anne clutched Harry closer and buried her face in Severus' shining hair.

"She let Eric have a room when he got his letter, I don't know if we would still fit if it hadn't come. But I don't think I'd be allowed to have a room even with my letter," Anne whispered and did her best not to flinch when Severus kicked the crate that she had called home.

The tall man with the eyes as dark as hellfire pointed his wand at the prison that had held his niece and nephew and whispered a long string of words, waving his hand and twisting his wrist in a complicated pattern. Anne watched and felt something change; the air grew tight and sparkled with something like electricity. Suddenly all of the dust in the room turned into a figure that resembled Anne, tiny and crouched and pitiful.

"She may never tell you to leave her. If she comes home, you will be here, if she moves, you will follow her. Until the day she utters a genuine apology to you and your brother, you will remind her of what she has done," Severus said to the dust child. Anne watched with wide eyes before climbing down from Severus and wrapping her arms lightly around the replica of herself.

"I'm sorry you have to have my mummy too. I'm sorry you have to exist. Remind her that we loved her. And someday, someday, come and see me and tell me if she ever says why," Anne whispered as the dust girl hugged back. Severus wiped at his eyes, dust always made them water, of course it was the dust.

(A/N: Well shoot me a review. Also, I haven't the slightest as to what the update schedule for these things is going to be. My internet is notoriously unreliable, like a hyperactive monkey, I pretty much have to pray to a number of deities to find and catch it even for an hour.)


	3. The Boy in the Bear

(A/N: Chapter 3 already? It's been less than a day for me so I don't know how long it has been for you. I hope everyone has liked this story so far. Finally little Harry enters the scene, because I couldn't leave him out could I? Answer: no. I still don't own Harry Potter, the people who do tend to laugh quite loudly when I ask.)

Chapter 3—The Boy in the Bear

Anne left the attic first meeting her brother in the hall as he stood face to face with a dust and dirt image of himself. She hugged the dust boy and repeated her words in quiet confidence. If she had her way, she would take the dust children with them as well. But that was not the case. The dust children were an illusion. A powerful charm that could only be dispelled by one woman and likely never would be.

"Is that everything?" Severus asked and glanced inside the trunk that Eric stood beside. Four years' worth of school books and school robes that were finally undersized made up the bulk of the trunk's contents. There were some muggle clothes; Eric's cauldron, scales, telescope, potions ingredients, wand and broom were also in the trunk. There was a battered set of gobstones that Severus had given him and a miniature wizard's chess set, but nothing that spoke of a life outside of Hogwarts.

"Yeah. Is he…" a hand waved in the direction of the dust boy and the doe eyed dust girl at the end of the hall. "Are they going to follow mum around?" Eric questioned, the concept of such charms work being done in his house was startling. But he knew that his mother deserved it. She deserved worse really.

Severus simply nodded. With a wave of his hand, he shrank Eric's trunk and placed it in his pocket. He hoisted Anne to his hip where she promptly wrapped her arms around his neck and placed his arm around Eric's shoulders. He already knew that there was another stop that they had to make on that lovely June day. There was no point in avoiding the truth. Harry was just a bit younger than Anne and would be turning 11 at the end of July. But there was no guarantee that a family that kept him in a cupboard would allow him his letter.

"Anne, we are going to meet your Harry. We will get him out of his cupboard and bring him with us," Severus blushed lightly at the kiss she planted on his cheek, he was not used to affection from family members, not anymore, he had grown a bit old for it after all. "We are going to use magic to go there. Next year Eric will get to learn to do this. It's called Apparation," Severus explained before clutching both of them tight and concentrating on his destination.

Anne felt herself being stretched and pulled like putty before being squeezed into shape again. When she looked around she was no longer in the hallway at her house but in the living room of an older woman.

"Good morning Arabella," Severus said politely and smiled at the old woman as kindly as he could. The corner of the room had been designated as an Apparation point by Dumbledore after Harry Potter was moved to 4 Privet Drive. But no one actually stopped by to keep an eye on Harry; they had all gotten too busy.

"Severus? Are you…oh my! Please tell me that you aren't leaving these ones with them as well," the woman that Severus had called Arabella said and seemed genuinely disturbed by the idea. Severus shook his head in the negative and placed Anne on her feet. She smiled up at him before giving a curtsey to the confused woman.

"Miss Arabella ma'am, this is my Uncle Severus. I'm Anne and this is Eric," the girl that was too small for her age said with a hesitant smile.

"Call me Mrs. Figg child. I am pleased to meet you both. I did not know that our Severus had younger relations. But you'd best be on your way. Severus it's the whale child's birthday today. They haven't contacted me about taking Harry for the day either. I worry," the woman said and Severus' face turned serious. Anne at once began to pull him toward the door. She wanted to meet Harry and she knew the sorts of things that happened to the little boy when his family was trying to be a family without him.

It seemed that Anne knew the area well from her conversations with Harry. She pulled on Severus until they were at the door of Vernon and Petunia Dursley and then proceeded to beat on it with her tiny fists. So determined was she that neither Eric nor Severus stopped her from knocking louder and louder until the door was answered by a frail looking boy roughly the same size as Anne.

"Harry!" she shouted with wild abandon, the first time Severus had seen her so happy. Little girl and teddy bear alike crashed into the boy with the big round glasses. He had seemed stunned just to see her but after a moment he returned the hug just the same. With a light peck on the pale boy's cheek she turned him to stand beside her and felt his arms pull her back protectively as Vernon thundered out of the kitchen.

"He shouldn't hurt you, it's me he hits," Harry said firmly, always the more protective one, even in their dreams. Anne shook her head and pointed at Severus. The tall man stood firmly in front of all of them, wand held firmly behind his back.

"What are you doing here, freak?" the fat man, Vernon demanded, his obvious good mood at his son's birthday ruined. Somewhere behind him, none of the children could see because between the two men the door was thoroughly blocked, Petunia began to shriek like a banshee.

"I am here to remove one Harry James Potter from your unfit guardianship. By Ministry Decree the word of a Seer is grounds for immediate removal of a minor from the premises of an abusive home. In the case of muggleborn children and muggle guardians the muggle police will be called in and a report given. I assure you Dursley, I keep to my laws. Be glad of that. Now stand away from the door," Severus turned to face Harry, compassion written on his face. "Go and gather your things Harry. You won't be coming back," Severus said softly. The boy just shook his head.

"Nothing in there is mine," Harry admitted and pressed Anne still further back, Vernon was about to get really angry if the cops were getting called.

"Go and get your blanket. Your mum gave you that," Anne said gently and Harry nodded. He hadn't forgotten the blanket, but he hadn't wanted to appear to need such a thing. The bear in Anne's arms changed his mind. His Uncle moved back in fear as Severus moved in to assist Harry. Only Eric's firm hand on her shoulder kept Anne from following the pair into the house. She watched though, with dark eyes as Harry pulled the worn blue blanket around his shoulders. Occasionally she had Seen glimpses of Petunia cowering from a dust Harry, and she had always thought that it meant Harry would die. But as she saw Severus wave his wand in the same twisting pattern as before, she knew that she had simply witnessed magic at work.

(A/N: Severus, collector and protector of abused children. They are his brood now, so I can confirm to you that this is not an OC gets Harry's heart story. I wouldn't do that to you lot. I hoped to bring other talents into this story, so nearly everyone will have on, not just Anne, nor is she going to be the only Seer. So don't worry, she's not actually unique at all. Leave me a review if you please.)


	4. So That's Magic

(A/N: Chapter 4 here at last. I don't know if I will ever own Harry Potter, but it is very safe to say that I don't now. I do own Eric and Anne, but I can hardly be too proud of that with the million and a half other OCs running around this site. Anyway, try not to be too disappointed that I gave Severus a not so horrible home life, and that he has friends. If anyone deserves to have a re-roll on their past, it's Severus Snape. On with the show!)

Chapter 4—So That's Magic

As they made their way back toward Mrs. Figg's house, Anne held Harry's hand as well as Eric's and Severus walked behind them, keeping an eye out for any interference from the muggles. Harry didn't seem to know a thing about magic, just as Anne knew next to nothing, so Eric was giving them a cursory explanation of his basic knowledge. Anne kept glancing back at Severus; there was something about the way that he watched Harry that made her curious. And as always, when she wanted to know something important, what she now knew to be her magic, helped her by giving her an impression.

"I think my Uncle Severus was friends with your Mummy and Daddy Harry," she said and it seemed to be the only thing she needed to say to put and even bigger smile on Harry's lips. Ages ago she had told him not to believe that they died in a car crash, and that his dreams about the green light were true. But he needed to know his real parents. Anne wished as hard as she could that they were good people just like Severus.

"Is that true Severus?" Harry asked brightly and waved politely to Mrs. Figg as they piled into her living room. He had no idea why they were bringing him there, but he knew Anne and so he trusted Severus. It was Anne who made him so smart; she didn't get to go to school, so he taught her everything that he learned during the days when they were dreaming. Doing everything twice and wanting to make sure that his only friend got a good education had made him very good with school work and very eager to learn (not that it pleased the Dursleys since Dudley was an idiot). Even knowledge about his parents was something he wished to share. Knowing that more and more people knew about them would help them to be more real.

"Yes Harry, your Mother and I were best friends, she was like my sister. Your Father spent a long time not liking me, but that was just because he didn't know why your Mother liked me so much. By third year we were all friends. Your Godfathers Sirius and Remus almost got to take you in as their own, but Dumbledore wouldn't allow it," Severus said and Anne watched with a happy smile as Harry began to trust and accept Severus. She would never be able to read other people's emotions like Harry could, that was his special talent, but she could see them all being happy together.

"Who is Dumbledore?" Harry asked after a moment and Anne frowned as she tried to remember something she had Seen about the man.

"The Headmaster of Hogwarts. He's a bit of a meddling old fool. When I got sorted into Ravenclaw he made Uncle Severus talk to me to make sure I hadn't tricked the hat. He believes that children follow the examples of the parents, or their other relations. Not in front of everyone, but he expected me to be in Slytherin. Also, never accept a Lemon Drop from him, he wants you to because there's something in them. Calming Draught or Loyalty Elixir, I can't be sure but…" Eric stopped talking as he realized that three sets of eyes were focused intently on him.

"Eric Tobias Snape, you tell me right this instant how you know this and why this is the first I am hearing about it. I may not be your Head of House but I am your Uncle, and that counts for something," Severus said firmly and none of them noticed that they were no longer in Mrs. Figg's house. Severus had taken them by Apparation to his family home at Spinner's End; he could hear his Mother and Father moving about in the kitchen.

"Well I took one once. Held it in my hand and saw him coating them with something that looked like a potion. I remembered the color and viscosity and looked it up. I've never been confident enough to say which it was though. But I always told my friends to never eat one," Eric said and stared at them like it made all the sense in the world. He glanced around at the living room that they stood in, so full of books and worn, comfortable furniture that he instantly felt at home.

"So you too then. Anne the Seer and Eric the Post-cognative with Touch Recall. Dad's family always did have strange powers," Severus said with a wry smile.

"Harry can tell people's emotions too!" Anne volunteered with a beaming smile. She liked that her friend had a special power, even if sometimes it made him mad at her when she lied about something. A blush adorned Harry's cheeks and he wrapped his blanket cloak more tightly around his shoulders. Anne pressed Harry the Bear's nose against Harry the Boy's cheek in a little kissing motion and the boy blushed even harder.

Shaking his head at the thought of someone being able to feel the chaotic press of emotions around them and unable to control it, Severus vowed to teach all three children the proper way to shield their minds. It could be dangerous for them to go around with their minds just wide open. Had it not been for his own shields he would have been pressed into service for Voldemort because of his own innate abilities. Wandless, wordless mind magic and short range Telepathy were valuable traits in a servant, especially to a Master so paranoid that he spent half his time doubting his followers.

The first matter of business was introducing the children to his parents; after all, they would be staying with him at Spinner's End during the summer months. Tobias hadn't known that Sophie had had a child until Severus told him about the boy he'd met that school year and still hadn't met the boy himself. The fact that he had one extra child with him would prove to be of no consequence to a pair of parents that loved feeding everyone.

(A/N: Well there you go. As of the time I finished editing this, I was still working on Chapter 5 but that has probably changed by the time this is posted. I hope you liked it and will leave me a review.)


	5. A Place with the Snapes

(A/N: I sincerely hope that no one thinks I own Harry Potter. And yes, Severus lives with his parents (of course they are still alive) he spends almost 10 months a year living at the school, who would want to keep a home they only used 2 months of 12? On with the show!)

Chapter 5—A Place with the Snapes

"Sev…Severus?" Eileen had opened the door from the kitchen and stood staring at the curious group that had invaded her home. Severus she had expected, he occasionally visited his nephew and niece, but he had never brought them back with him. And then there was the other boy, one she recognized from years of Lilly Evans and James Potter visiting her son during Summer holidays. Those innocent gem bright green eyes and that unruly black hair had to make him Harry Potter. But why would Severus have brought him with?

"Ah, hi Mum. I brought some guests for lunch," Severus offered with a small smile. Anne stared at the woman, she was obviously where Severus got his dark eyes and hair and his fair skin. She was shorter than he was, mostly bones with her narrow frame, but her face was kind and there were as many laugh-lines as frown-lines and worry creases combined. At once Harry trusted the kind emotions and generous heart that this woman possessed yet stood no less close to Anne's side.

"Tobias," she called "We need enough for six," she said to her husband as he came to stand at her elbow. He had eyes and hair that could have made him Anne and Eric's father in their color. There was more life in his face than there was in Sophie's.

"Your Aunt Sophie's kids?" Tobias asked and seemed to frown at the thought of the sister 20 years his junior. She would be in her 40's now, just 15 years older than Severus. He glanced at the last child and knew him at once for who he was and who his youngest niece was to the boy. Grasping the lines of relationship was his only talent; otherwise he was what they considered a Squib, only magical enough to see the other world, not enough to be a part of it.

"And Lilly and James' boy. I think Mum can probably see why I had to bring them with. They know me as Uncle Severus though, I'm a bit old for cousin as a moniker, don't you think?" Severus said and Tobias almost laughed, oh indeed 31 was such old age. But he smiled, seeing that the children respected that as his association with them and accepted it quite happily, even the Potter's son.

"In that case, kids, I'm Tobias and this is Eileen, but can call us Grandpop and Grandmum if you like," Tobias said with his warm brown eyes shining.

"And that goes for you too young man. Your Mummy and Daddy spent more than enough time here with us," Eileen said as she saw the moment of doubt in Harry's eyes. Just as her husband could instantly distinguish most relationships, she could read people like books; it was true that she could see what Severus had meant. She could read the abuse from their minds like a long and terrible paperback bought at the airport. But Harry was smiling again and she avoided dredging through their memories too much because she didn't want to bring any into the fronts of their minds.

"Right. Anyway, that's Anne and Eric and Harry and Harry," Severus said indicating each child and the teddy bear in turn. Tobias' eyes widened briefly in surprise at the bear, a powerful magical totem, such as one like the rings he and Eileen wore. And he was willing to bet that it had been created the night the boy lost his parents. It was a spell woven by a mother's love, calling out for someone to be there for her son. How it had found little Anne, he would never know, but it had cemented the pair in a bond that they could not break lightly. The best of friends without ever meeting, old magic, older than Stonehenge had selected them to protect one another.

Tobias shook himself to rid such thoughts from his mind and turned to prepare more food for them to eat. That day he was making his famous sloppy joe sandwiches and thankfully had only begun with the sauce, he could easily stretch the recipe from there. Eileen merely got another pack of buns out of the deep freeze and resumed her preparations on the pasta salad that she was making. It would go faster now, but she always made enough to last the voracious appetites of her small family for almost a week.

The kids had piled into the kitchen, sitting in chairs that had gone mostly unused in the last several years. Harry the Teddy Bear was wrapped in Harry the boy's blanket and placed in Anne's lap. Severus busied himself making some lemonade, none of the children were getting enough vitamins, and short of slipping each of them a Nutrient Potion, he would have to let his family's cooking help. Summer had only recently truly begun so he had some time to sort things out with them.

"So," Eileen slid the pasta salad into the fridge to chill and took a seat at the table. "The three of you kids will be staying here with us now, huh?" she said with a soft smile playing on her lips. She could perceive the discomfort that each child felt at not being told to make the lunch that they were about to eat when there were adults in the room. They were her family, even Harry who looked so much like the young couple that had spent their summers getting Severus into all sorts of mischief.

"If you'll have us. Not many people have the space for three more kids," Eric said, running his fingers through his hair with a small frown. He knew that it wasn't likely that they would all get to stay, not that he doubted his Uncle Severus, but things rarely went their way.

"Oh, we have the space. I'm not a witch for nothing dear. And Severus, well he's not so bad at wand work either, when he bothers to use one," Eileen smiled brilliantly at the relief that played through three heavily taxed minds. "You'll have to share the bathrooms with the rest of us of course, but there's no reason you can't have your own rooms," she added and a silly smile played over Anne's face as she watched her 'Grandmum's' face.

"I am perfectly adept with a wand; it's just not my normal mode of spell casting. I probably won't need one for this, but I did for what I left Sophie as a present and Tuney as well," Severus said, just a bit of smugness detectable in that smile as he iced down the pitcher of lemonade and placed it in the middle of the table, a second one taking its place in the fridge.

"Oh you didn't!" Eileen laughed brilliantly, hiding her mouth behind her hand, eyes detailing her mirth. Severus merely grinned in response.

(A/N: Yes I know that there is a bunch of OOCness but you just might have to accept that if his life hadn't been totally messed up, Severus would be quite the nice guy. Anyway, if you liked it, drop me a review. I ignore flames because they simply aren't productive.)


	6. The Letters Lacking

(A/N: Yet more from me. And I must stress again that I don't own Harry Potter. If you don't like to think of Dumbledore or some of the Weasley's in a negative light, this is where you and my story ought to part company. I don't do flames because people don't listen to what I have to say. Anyway, on with the show!)

Chapter 6—The Letters Lacking

They had been with their relatives for a whole two days when Harry's letter arrived; the small boy read it with such enthusiasm that everyone in the house smiled a little. But even more satisfying was the address which read: _Mr. H. Potter 3__rd__ Bedroom on the left Spinner's End_. Harry didn't even seem to notice though, he was perusing his list of school supplies and comparing it to Anne's, not that he expected to find a difference, that was, until he did.

"Uncle Severus," Harry began, staring closely at the two letters in confusion, his brow scrunched up and glasses slipping slightly down his nose. It was an unspoken agreement that Harry was allowed to address the tall, dark man in such a way; after all, Lilly had been a sister to Severus in many ways. And the boy had adapted gladly, just as Anne and Eric had done.

"What is it Harry?" Severus asked as his mother took over the bacon frying and his father claimed the eggs. The Potions Master sat carefully beside the 10 year old and took the offered letters, following the direction of a slender finger to find what he was supposed to be looking at. And then he blinked furiously and tried to understand what had happened with the letters. Anne's was written in his good friend Minerva McGonagall's neat but severe script and signed in the same, it included the full complement of first year books and supplies. Harry's letter was written in what he knew to be Albus Dumbledore's flowing and loopy hand, and it was missing two very crucial books: _The Wizarding World for the_ _Muggleborn_ by Anita Noh and _Adapting to Magic: 1001 Uses for the Beginners Wand _by Mordin Unu both were crucial books for students that had no previous experience with the Magical world.

And as he looked, he noted that both letters were missing the information packet that was meant to accompany it. Both parchment envelopes looked to have been fatter at one time, so he had to assume that the parcel of info had been removed. It should have contained detailed directions to Diagon Alley and information on either exchanging muggle notes for Galleons, Sickles and Knuts, or setting up a Gringotts account. It should have told them how to access the platform at 9 ¾ and what to expect of the Sorting Ceremony. There was nothing on school decorum, on the Houses, on classes or even a map of the castle.

Severus felt his blood boil, but offered Harry a soft smile, attempting to let the young Empath know that his anger was in no way related to such an innocent curiosity. He lightly ruffled Harry's hair and gave a soft sigh as he brought his emotions under control, the considerable control he had gained over the years was truly helpful to him now, and he would eternally be glad that Lilly had forced him into it.

"Their letters have been tampered with," Severus said at last as he laid both letters on the table surface, attempting to figure out why Dumbledore would have re-written Harry's letter and then copied Minerva's signature, the two scripts were obviously different. And at last he realized that something else was missing, something very important that his friend Poppy Pomfrey would have been angry to find missing. There was no parchment to be filled out, or even to indicate the vaccinations that a child entering the magical world ought to receive.

"How could that be? Minerva always checks and rechecks the letters before they go out," Eileen said and though the confusion was evident on her face, she was privy to enough of her son's thoughts to know that something was wrong. She frowned when words like 'Dumbledore' and 'forgery' came up and grew angry at the thought of what those might mean when it came to the children that she now viewed as her grandbabies.

"I think you know…Eric, do you mind? Could you see if these letters tell you anything?" Severus asked the tiny Ravenclaw boy who most certainly did not look like he ought to be going into his 5th year at all. Eric gave a nod, his brown hair was still mussed from sleep, but his expression was serious and there was no small amount of anger there at the thought of his sister and Harry not being properly informed. It was like Dumbledore was setting them up for failure in their first experiences with the Magical world.

The soon to be 16 year old grasped Harry's letter first, since it had been obviously written by Dumbledore. He took a few slow breaths and willed his magic to do what it had been sporadically doing since he was a very young boy. First came Severus and his rage, Harry's confusion, Harry's joy, the Owl in flight, Minerva smiling proudly as she presented the owl with the letter. Then there the impression of determination, of a strange sort of glee, a wicked smile on a normally genial face, plotting and scheming. _The boy will be putty in my hands. He will look to those I put in place for companionship; he will look to the Weasley boy for advice. There must be a moment, yes, one that teaches him to hate Slytherin, he's no good to me anywhere save Gryffindor. Ah, now what have I done with the Granger girl's letter, won't do for him to learn it from her. Must get those prejudices in place._

The letter was torn from Eric's hands and the kitchen was silent. He looked around at his family and swallowed thickly, sometimes, sometimes his magic ran away with an object and he began to speak, and he was afraid that such a thing had happened. Pressing his shaking hands flat to the table, he gave an involuntary shudder and closed his eyes tightly, trying to bring himself down again.

"Well, that was enlightening. Severus, which Weasley boy is the youngest?" Tobias said his face blank as he set the table for breakfast. It was obvious to Severus that his father was deep in thought, so deep in fact that Severus could not hear his mind.

"Fred and George will be 3rd years…Ronald; he should be in Harry's year. But surely Arthur would not allow his son to be used in such a way," Severus said, thinking of the Muggle obsessed Wizard with the fiery red hair and burgeoning family. Bill and Charlie, both exceptional students were out of school, Percy was next and he was very serious, hardly laughed at all, Fred and George made up for that with great gusto. Ron he had met at both graduations, the boy was an exceptionally attention starved little fellow, always demanding to be seen to by his mother who was nearly always occupied with doting on an equally obnoxious girl, Ginerva, yes that was the name.

"Arthur wouldn't but Molly would, and her two youngest are eager to mean something to the Wizarding world. This would be an early start and neither would have to bother to learn to break curses or tame dragons, or even intern with the Minister, which is Percy's fondest hope," Eileen said and it struck Severus that she might have seen Arthur when she was last at the Ministry.

"That's all a bit beside the point isn't it? We need to find the Granger girl and make sure she gets her information," Eric said at last and Harry gave an eager nod which Anne soon seconded.

(A/N: Leave me a review and let me know what you think!)


	7. Visions of Scheming

(A/N: Here is yet another chapter in what is shaping up to be a rather long story. Again I will stress that if you have a problem with Severus being friends with Lilly and James or Sirius and Remus then don't stay here. If you think Albus Dumbledore is a kindly grandfather figure, you will not find that here. Have I mentioned before that I don't own Harry Potter? Right, well I don't.)

Chapter 7—Visions of Scheming

Eric was right of course. But Dumbledore seemed to have forgotten that it was Severus's and Minerva's year to do the rotation of Muggleborn meetings. Their year to make sure things were going smoothly and that the revelation hadn't hit too hard. It would not be too hard to locate this girl and to give her the information that she needed. He would make sure that whatever mess Dumbledore was setting up, never had a chance to blow up in their faces.

"Don't worry; I will see to it myself. The big thing is that neither of you kids should trust anything Ronald Weasley or Albus Dumbledore has to say. No let's not think about such awful things. Not while breakfast is on the table and smells so delicious," Severus said, doing his best impression of his mother back in the days when their table was crowded with a different generation of Hogwarts students.

They all tucked into their food, but Harry, Severus and Eileen knew best that the situation was being thought about. They were all wondering why Dumbledore felt so uncomfortable about the girl named Granger, and why it would be such an issue for Harry and Anne to have the full content of their letters or even the knowledge that every child ought to have to even be acquainted with the Wizarding world. More so why would he purposefully see that their medical care was neglected? It just didn't add up. Of course Dumbledore was a master manipulator. The old man had tried to sever their tiny troupe of friends more than once, and had nearly succeeded on a number of counts, but had always been thwarted by their sheer determination to remain friends.

He remembered the night that Remus had almost killed him, it still gave him chills to think what might have happened if James and Sirius hadn't showed up. How they determined that they had been lied to, he would never know, but as it turned out, they had only given him the go ahead to visit the shack because Dumbledore had said Remus would be elsewhere. Instead of destroying their friendship it had solidified it and had won Lilly's heart for James. Severus had watched them together with sadness for a week or two, feeling somehow left out, but soon grew to understand that his sister loved him no less. He stood on Lilly's side at the wedding, she had decided to hang tradition and keep him by her side. Standing at Lilly and James' wedding was one of the happiest moments of his life.

"Uncle Severus? I think I remembered something about Dumbledore," Anne said once she had pushed aside her plate, still feeling odd at being able to eat regularly, just as Harry and Eric did. She tried to look confident, but holding on to something she had Seen was like trying to contain water in an open palm. Only the tiniest little puddle would remain and sometimes, it wasn't even a useful part of the vision. Sometimes, all that she could remember was that the sky had been cloudy, or that there had been leaves on a tree.

"It's okay to tell me Anne. Anything could be useful," the tall dark eyed man said, sensing the static from his niece's mind and understanding it as confusion. He knew that his Aunt hadn't allowed Anne to speak often, and he was glad that something of a little girl's inquisitive nature had survived such treatment. As he reflected on this fact he realized that it was likely thanks to Harry that his niece spoke at all. Were it not for the little boy sharing her dreams and forcing her to recite school lessons Severus highly doubted that Eric could have convinced her to keep talking for very long.

"I think…I think he knew about my Mommy, I think he knew because of Eric. Since Eric has never been very big, I mean, bigger than me, but not as big as other boys. But he also knew about Harry. I think that he will be angry with you because of Harry. And..." she shut her eyes tightly and her fingers worked at the bear that was never far from her grasp. "Remus and Sirius must never have him, must never take him away. He must suffer. For the greater good. For the Prophesy. Harry Potter will d…die…and I will defeat the Dark Lord…at…last," Anne had started to choke slightly and when she opened her eyes they were flooded with tears.

Eileen had never liked to see a child cry and quickly scooped Anne into her arms, shushing her and petting her short chopped hair. The news did not seem to have an effect on Harry that any of them noticed until Severus gently tugged clenching hands away from the table edge and lifted Harry up into his own arms. There were almost tears in his own eyes but he fought them back.

"I'm so sorry Grandmum; I didn't want to say it. It was mean and awful and I'm so sorry," Anne whimpered and clutched at her teddy bear tightly, trying to twist out of Eileen's arms. She didn't want sympathy when she had said something so horrible about her best friend.

"Quiet now, it isn't your fault. It is that awful old man Dumbledore. You spoke his words dear heart. Harry knows that you don't want him to die," Eileen said and stared over Anne's head at Severus as he clutched Harry to his chest. That last little piece of Lilly, of his sister, in his arms, sobbing in fear of the Headmaster's cruel plots, it nearly undid Eileen's control.

Tobias and Eric were quietly cleaning up the remnants of breakfast, Tobias occasionally laying a steadying hand on Eric's shoulder and saying something in a low voice. Eric had been through four years of schooling at Hogwarts, going into his 5th. He had never trusted the Headmaster, but he loathed himself for not knowing something so important.

"Harry, it's okay. We aren't going to let anything happen to you dear," Eileen said as she stood next to Severus, thinking that perhaps being close to one another would help the soon-to-be first years. And it did, somewhat, Anne reached out and grasped Harry's hand and the 11 year old who looked 7 lifted his head and gave her a watery smile. It hurt so much to see them so upset, but both Severus and Eileen knew that Harry's misery mostly came from Anne's. The boy's ability was going to give him a lot of grief if he didn't get some measure of control over it soon.

"I know. I trust you. I just…Anne doesn't remember her visions very well. But what if there's more? What if he does hurt you for taking me away Uncle Severus? What if he takes us all away and makes us go back…" Harry said as he wiped his eyes and climbed out of Severus's arms, clearly embarrassed by his display of emotions.

"No chance. Anne is a Seer. I was the one that accepted the charge to change your situation. No one will take you away from me. The Ministry will not allow it, no matter how much Dumbledore may wish it," Severus said firmly and Eileen nodded beside him as she placed Anne on the floor, wiping the girl's face with a handkerchief.

(A/N: So I'm not sure, but things may slow down after this. Up until now I had a backlog of chapters to post for you. As of this point, this is the last of that. I hope it won't be too long though. Leave me a review to tell me what you thought.)


	8. Prepping for a Party

(A/N: Chapter 8 is here already! I apparently move quickly on these stories, quickly for me anyway. As always I do not own Harry Potter and I never will. Though this chapter doesn't really focus on it I will remind you that this is not a story for people who like Dumbledore, or Molly, Ron, or Ginny. Anyway, I think that is everything. On with the show!)

Chapter 8—Prepping for a Party

It had been three days since the letters arrived and they had learned just what sort of obstacles they were facing. Their Uncle Severus had taken to having conversations into the fireplace with a woman called Minerva McGonagall, the same woman that had signed the letters and who taught Eric Transfiguration. She had been sworn to secrecy temporarily, and was not going to discuss anything with Dumbledore no matter how angry she was with him. But she was going to talk to Poppy Pomfrey and the other two heads of house. They would all be told to keep silent on the issue.

Everyone was on Severus's side; none of them could understand what advantage there could possibly be to keeping children in the dark about something so important. It was Minerva who suggested, with her eye on the book of names, that there be a birthday party for each of the children, as their birthdays were all in the summer. Eileen, having heard this had instantly swept away and began to gather the ingredients for a cake and told Tobias to begin planning a special dinner.

Anne was impossible to surprise. And so they made no attempts to conceal their preparations for her birthday. Though she was not allowed to participate in any of it instead being left with Eric and Harry to occupy themselves quietly. And when Severus checked in on them, he swore that he was going to be raising a house full of Ravenclaws. Eric had placed his first year History of Magic between Anne and Harry and was reading to them from the notes he had taken and apparently saved all this time. Anne and Harry were completely absorbed by it, smiling and eagerly discussing the chapter with Eric and each other.

He left them alone, a smile on his lips as he slipped downstairs and into the kitchen. It was his task to wrap the presents being that Eileen would never let him touch a cake again (after a certain potions related incident in which a delicious red velvet cake resulted in an hour worth of hiccupping bubbles). Tobias had threatened him away from dinner with a wave of a wooden spoon, birthday dinners (even his own) were his task, he had always loved to do it.

So with a deft hand Severus cut bits of the shining paper and wrapped the packages. He had a small smirk on his lips at the colors of the paper. Each of the House colors was represented, just as they had been for him all those years ago on his last birthday before becoming a Hogwarts student. He had always liked green best, not because of Slytherin, but because of his best friend and surrogate sister Lilly's eyes. They would forever be the most expressive and impressive example of the color that he had ever seen and she had passed them on to his newest nephew.

He was finishing wrapping the last of the gifts (a neat stack stood on the table, glittering in the light) when a tawny owl flew in through the window and dropped a letter on his work. The owl perched on the chair beside him, waiting for a reward or a reply and Severus moved the letter, finishing the last present before snatching up the piece of mail to read. The handwriting was unmistakable, as was the wax seal bearing a very old family crest.

He had written Sirius and Remus Black the day after he'd brought Harry home with him. The married pair were after all, Harry's Godfathers and thus ought to remain informed of the situation. Severus wasn't sure why it had taken four days for them to get a reply out, but he was certain that the delay was not their doing.

_Severus,_

_ Thank you for your letter informing us of the circumstances under which you came to hold guardianship over our Godson. It has come to our attention that you are also listed as a Godfather to young Harry and thus are doubly within your legal right to maintain care of him. We have begun an investigation into his placement and his treatment. The Dursley family has been brought in for questioning in this matter. Auror Sirius Black has the lead on the case. _

Here Severus paused to smile slightly, of course, that was the delay, Ministry regulations demanded formalities even between friends, especially when those friends were Aurors and attorneys.

_A date will be set for you to present your memories, whether in person or by pensive, to the courts. Attorney Remus Black will stand as prosecutor in this case. You are not on trial Severus Snape, but your presence or memories in lieu of your presence are vital to this case._

_ In a separate matter, the trial of one Sophie Snape has come to a conclusion. Fines have been levied and your charm was found to be significant punishment, three years house arrest was imposed._

_ Also, and I really don't know if this is something that I am allowed to say here or not, being an official legal correspondence and all, Sirius and I were hoping to send a gift or ten for our Godson and your niece and nephew, to be held until their respective birthdays of course. So if this works, there will be a second owl behind this one and a third one behind that. We have been swamped at work or else this would have been sent with a private owl. Keep us posted dear brother, we want to know everything we can about our family, and as always, we will see you on Sunday._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Remus Black and Sirius Black_

_ P.S. Tell my new Godchildren…our new Godchildren that we can't wait to meet them. Tell Harry that we are excited to see him again._

"From the Blacks then Severus?" Eileen's dark eyes were shining and Severus noticed that his mother's hair had been piled atop her head in a loose bun, and that there was flour on her cheek.

"Well yeah, have you ever known anyone but Remus to write in neon yellow ink? There should be two more owls coming, presents for the kids."

"Let's just hope that Anne didn't see these ones coming. I doubt that she would spoil it for the rest of them, but I don't like knowing that it could be spoiled for her," Tobias said and opened the window wider, not sure what sort of gifts the owls would be bearing. But knowing Remus and Sirius who were undeniably rich and rather known for spoiling the children of co-workers and those at orphanages, gifts for family members were likely to be a bit more than the usual.

Severus was still smiling as he shifted the pile of presents into a hiding place in the kitchen pantry, Remus was a real papa wolf, but never had he expected his friends to care so much for the children that he had adopted.

Several minutes later, the first owl began to hoot softly and a few seconds after that the second owl was through the window carrying a parcel the size of a bakery cake box. Scrawled neatly across the top were the words 'Enlarge as a single unit' and so he placed it on the floor and muttered the charm with a wave of his hand. The package grew into a box roughly the size of a Hogwarts trunk and was packed to the top with pre-wrapped gifts, all sorted into three sections, one for Harry, one for Anne and one for Eric. The second package was much the same, but a few presents were marked a Christmas and thusly were hidden away more carefully than the others.

Anne's presents, no less than ten of them, were stacked with the rest of the gifts that she was to receive that day. Severus hoped that they were not over doing it for the children, none of them were getting less than 30 packages and though things like books and clothes made up the bulk of it, he still wondered if they were spoiling the kids.

(A/N: Well, I hope that you liked it. Leave me a review to let me know what you thought of it.)


	9. Anne Turns Eleven

(A/N: And here is yet another chapter! The story should start to move a little more quickly after this one, not too quickly, but time will be passing a bit more I think. None of the warnings have changed and there are no pairings yet. I hope that you like this one.)

Chapter 9—Anne Turns Eleven

They called the children down at 7 and dinner began. A traditional birthday dinner in the Snape household was a hodgepodge of cultures, a large lasagna and several mince pies, roasted potatoes and carrots, hot roast beef sandwiches, and a fruit salad, all topped off with butterbeer and pumpkin juice. Having developed healthy appetites the children tore through the meal, having seconds of nearly everything, even with the warning that there would be no room for cake afterwards.

And cake there was. The lights were turned off and a round cake that had to be three layers tall and smelt of the most wonderful vanilla was carried out topped with 11 candles which lit up the whole kitchen. As a family they sang the happy birthday song silent happy tears made their way down her cheeks.

"Blow out the candles and make a wish Anne!" Severus said and the little girl did just that. She closed her eyes tightly and wished with all her might that Severus would keep them forever and then she blew out the candles with a great rush of breath. Every single one was extinguished.

The cake was swiftly and neatly devoured, not a trace remained and Eileen resolved that Eric's cake, for his birthday was next, would be even bigger than Anne's. She commented to that effect so that Anne didn't think that her cake was smaller on purpose or that she was less appreciated. Eileen even made sure to tell Harry that he would get a cake as well, no matter what flavor he wanted, she would make it.

"And now for the presents," Tobias said and held the pantry door open so that Severus and Eileen could levitate the gigantic stack out. It was placed on the table and Anne looked at the stack with concern.

"What about Harry and Eric?" Anne asked softly and Eric laughed in response.

"Today is your birthday silly, Harry and I get ours on our own birthdays," Eric said and Harry gave a nod in response.

"Promise?" Anne asked softly.

"Of course dear, they are family too. So they get presents too," Severus assured with a smile. Anne nodded in acceptance and began to open the packages.

Harry and Eric were wrestling around in the scraps of wrapping paper before Anne was even done. She already had a stack of clothes both from the Wizarding world and the Muggle world. They had already give each of the children a collection of clothes, but included in these were some more winter based garments, a few pairs of gloves and some boots and a wand holster for when she finally got her wand. There were dozens of books, most educational but there were several Muggle fantasy stories as well as a copy of 'Tales of Beedle the Bard'. There was a make your own pumpkin juice kit, several bags of Bertie Botts Beans, Chocolate Frogs galore, two cases of butterbeer and Cauldron Cakes enough to fill an actual cauldron. The only thing that could have been described as a toy was a miniature replica of the solar system that could be expanded to fill a room. The planets and moons could be pulled down and examined, the stars brightened or dimmed and asteroids scattered like confetti. The whole thing was easily reset but it could be a good deal of fun.

Though they were still full on cake and dinner, and likely to have a sugar rush that would make Severus twitch in concern for the quiet of their home, Anne pitched a Cauldron Cake to each of the boys she called brother before eating one herself. The adults had all insisted that they were too full to eat another bite.

Eileen took the distraction of the Cauldron Cakes as a good time to begin cleaning up the wrapping paper. She saved a small square from each of the different packages so that she could add them to the scrap book she had started for Anne; she would do the same for each of the boys in turn. Severus joined her, helping to compact all of the paper so that it could be picked up with the recycling.

It was two hours before the sugar crash happened, and it happened swiftly. Anne went first, her head dropping to Eileen's shoulder like a lead weight as they sat watching a movie together. Harry went about ten minutes later, his head bumping lightly into Anne's. Eric lasted a full hour longer than the younger children but was soon snoring on the arm of the couch.

It was a wonder that none of the children had stomach aches. They had all been rather unaccustomed to eating so much let alone that much sugar. But no one seemed to be bothered and they were all sleeping quite comfortably.

The adults however had been sharing a Stomach Soothing potion and were nursing headaches from all of the sugar they had eaten. They would have fallen asleep themselves, Eileen on the couch with the children, Tobias in his arm chair and Severus with his feet tucked up on the loveseat, but they knew that they had to get the kids to bed. A surefire way to have a grouchy child, as they had learned when Severus was a boy, was to leave that child to sleep in an uncomfortable position. When they woke up they would be sore and stiff and that would lead to sour moods.

So one by one, the kids were levitated up to their rooms by Severus and their clothing transfigured temporarily into pajamas for the night by Eileen. Tobias could be heard cleaning in the kitchen waking himself up by doing the dishes. It had been a fun day and the tension that they all had felt at what Dumbledore might be planning had evaporated at least for the time being.

"Severus, Floo for you," Tobias said softly as his son reappeared at the bottom of the steps. The flames were burning green and Severus groaned at having to deal with a Floo call when his head was hurting so badly. He only relaxed when he saw that it was Poppy Pomfrey.

"Good evening Poppy," Severus said with a weary smile as he crouched in front of the fireplace.

"Good evening Severus. I just wanted to give you a quick call to confirm that I would be over tomorrow morning. Every time I think about it I get more concerned about there being something wrong with the children. I know that you will be taking care of them but…I have my doubts that everything is right," she said her tone wobbling between professional and personal.

"I understand your concern Poppy. I understand that they need to have proper checkups. But you might want to wait until afternoon. Today was Anne's birthday, so there was cake and sweets and there are sure to be a few related aching tummies tomorrow morning. I have Stomach Soother aplenty so no worries there, but I didn't want it to have bearing on your tests," Severus said, wondering why he had forgotten about the appointment. He had only made it two days prior after all.

"I will be there at 1:30 sharp. Good night then Severus," Poppy said with a friendly smile.

"Good night Poppy, we will be ready for you," Severus said and the Floo Call was ended.

(A/N: Leave me a review to let me know what you think of it. I do hope you liked it.)


	10. Arrangements for Diagon Alley

(A/N: So this is the next chapter. I do have to apologize because they are going to come more slowly in the future. It isn't that I don't have inspiration; it's that I have too much. I have to keep myself from letting the story run away from me, so I am taking it more slowly. Don't worry though; I'm certain that I will be working on other things in the meantime. I don't own Harry Potter. Yes this story does have a Remus/Sirius pairing, if you haven't noticed yet then I will assume that you don't care too much, but if you do then I am sorry you don't like it.)

Chapter 10—Arrangements for Diagon Alley

They had been in their new home for two months, Eric's birthday had been celebrated three weeks after Anne's and Harry's two more after that. Their checkup with Poppy had revealed a need for Nutrient Potions all around and Growth Stimulant Potions in the case of Anne and Harry, Eric's growth was found to have been permanently stunted. Poppy was only sorry that she had never been required to look after the boy during the early years of his schooling.

Severus cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, letting out a sigh of relief, he had been brewing potions almost non-stop to make sure that all three of his adopted children would have enough to make it through the school year should something happen to him. And he was fairly certain that something was going to happen to him, likely because Dumbledore was not happy with him.

"Uncle Severus?" Harry knocked lightly on the door to his lab and waited for Severus to respond.

"Yes Harry? You can come in," the Potions Master said and began to bottle the most recent batch of Growth Stimulant. He figured that he already knew what was going to be said, but having Harry confirm it for him made the little boy feel better.

"Mrs. Granger is here with Hermione. I thought that you might want to know. I mean, Hermione hasn't ever been to Diagon Alley and neither have Anne or I…we were wondering if maybe you could take us there for lunch? That way Grandmum and Grandpop don't have to cook for everyone," Harry said softly. Severus smiled at the boy and filled the last of the phials before standing up.

"I think that's a wonderful idea Harry," Severus said with a smile and lifted his newest nephew up into his arms. Harry grinned and put his arms around Severus's neck. He had never gotten any such affection from the Dursleys and while he was still light enough to be carried around he indulged in it. It was Severus though that insisted on granting each of the children the affection they'd never really had. So even Eric was regularly given piggy back rides and Severus was no stranger to games of catch in the back yard. But it was Harry, who had been alone in a cupboard under the stairs for so long that he spent the most time with. Anne was content to pester Eileen and Eric was Tobias's shadow, Harry who looked at the world with Lilly's eyes, who raced into play with James's ambition, was never far from Severus.

"The Blacks will be here soon, won't they?" Harry asked with a hopeful smile. At the nod Severus gave him the 11 year old, who now looked like a 9 year old due to all of the potions he had been taking, let out a little cheer and did a back flip out of Severus's grip. The Potions Master smiled indulgently before nudging Harry off in the direction of the living room where he could see Anne and Eric showing a large stack of books to Hermione. His visit to the little girl and her family had gone well, mostly well. Mrs. Granger was now a single parent and Hermione missed her Father, but spending every other day with Anne, Harry, and Eric seemed to chase that from her mind.

"Jean, lovely to see you again," Severus said when he walked into the kitchen. Eileen and Tobias were getting ready to chaperone a rather large trip to Diagon Alley, both knowing that Severus, when left around his old school friends, tended to become a little more childish than normal.

"And you Severus. Thank you again for escorting Hermione and me on this trip. She's excited and that can get her a little out of hand. I'm not exactly fighting off the butterflies myself. I still can't get my head around how magic can be real. Or for that matter how my husband can fault Hermione for having it," Jean said and Severus recognized the deflation of a rising sense of panic from the woman. He was polite enough to make sure that he didn't accidentally pick up too many of her thoughts, but her tension was so obvious that he could feel it in the air.

Tobias glanced at Eileen over the top of his coffee cup and smiled secretively at her. Eileen made a shushing motion with her hand but smiled anyway, it had been quite a long time since Severus had made a new friend and even longer since that friend had been a woman. Both had hopes that Severus would make a habit of making friends, he had been letting the past haunt him for far too long.

"Kids!" Sirius's voice boomed from the living room followed by the overjoyed shriek of three of the four kids in the house and an 'oomph' from Remus as they toppled the first man backwards. It had become almost ritual at this point, only Hermione remained conservative enough to politely greet the Blacks whenever they came over. She was more Remus's speed, eager to learn everything that she could about the Wizarding world via one of its lawyers.

"Well it looks like it's time to go," Tobias said and rose from the table, extending a hand to help Eileen to her feet. Severus and Jean were already heading through the kitchen door into the living room. Today was going to be Jean and Hermione's first time traveling by the Floo network and Severus was trying to coach the muggle woman on the proper technique. Hermione would have to toss the powder and issue the command since a muggle would have no ability to affect the flames.

The living room was crowded more so than it had been in ages, chiefly since Severus was in school. And judging by the chatter that had already started—for Severus, Remus, and Sirius seemed determined to make Jean a part of their group of friends—it was definitely going to be left to Eileen and Tobias to be the serious ones. And indeed it took Eileen with her commanding tone, not used since Severus's childhood, to silence the group.

"Everyone to the fireplace, stand with your travel partner," Eileen said firmly and waited while the group paired off. Harry stood by Severus, hand firmly wrapped in the older man's robe. Hermione of course stood with her mother, silent and perhaps a little nervous. Eric was with Sirius, silently measuring his roughly 13 year old sized self against the tall lanky Auror. And Anne with Harry the bear had her fingers wrapped around Remus's hand. Tobias noted the bear and also noted that Harry had brought his blanket, just concealed under his shirt. He knew that the bear and the blanket would have followed them anyway, but he still smiled slightly to see the totems with the children. Although he wasn't sure what the eventual purpose of the magical objects would be, he did know that it was very important.

"Alright, Remus, you and Anne first," Tobias said and held out the canister of Floo powder. Taking a pinch Remus tossed it into the fire, stated his destination, and with his arm wrapped firmly around Anne, stepped into the fire. Jean and Hermione went next, Hermione was able to speak loudly and clearly enough and they traveled with Hermione's arms wrapped around her mother's middle, face buried in her stomach. Then went Eric and Sirius in a completely strange sort of backwards leaping maneuver that made the remaining group members laugh. Severus took Harry through next, the boy once more on his hip because he hadn't once managed to exit the Floo by himself without falling face first. Tobias and Eileen stepped through last, smiling at the thought of the day ahead and what insanity might ensue.

(A/N: I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but it will consist of general shopping, the wand buying and other shenanigans. I'm sure that some of you think that Jean and Severus should be a couple; I have not decided this yet. So if you don't like the idea, I will listen, and if you do, then I will take that into account as well. Until next time folks, and remember, I love reviews.)


	11. Diagon Alley Part 1

(A/N: Sorry that there has been such a wait for this chapter. I don't know when the next one will be up but I am going to try to stay on top of things. Once again I do not own Harry Potter and I never will. I won't waste too much time on this. On with the show!)

Chapter 11—Diagon Alley Part 1

They were a ridiculously large group all situated at a set of pushed together tables enjoying their lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. The fare was pretty standard for a pub, but the children were all still mystified and excited by it. They chattered loudly about where to stop first after Gringotts, which was always the first stop for anyone who intended to do more than window shop in Diagon Alley it seemed. Severus kept enough money on him that he was able to buy lunch quite easily, but for something as major as school shopping they were going to have to get into his vault.

"You didn't have to pay for lunch Severus," Eileen said as they were walking down the cobbled street, Anne, Harry and Hermione still looking back and trying to figure out where the entrance to the Alley had gone, Jean staring around in equal parts wonder and confusion.

"I've effectively adopted three of them. It's my responsibility to take care of their costs," Severus retorted, plucking Eric away from the Apothecary's front door.

"And it's our job to make sure that he splits that cost," Sirius declared with a fairly doggish grin that led Remus to smile as well.

"He's right you know. We don't plan on ever having kids of our own to look out for so we have to get the satisfaction of spoiling Severus's kids. Sort of kids," Remus said, patting Harry on the head when the green eyed boy gave him a toothy grin.

Severus just shook his head and continued to keep an eye on their group. Far too many people had come along to keep perfect track of each and every one of them, but at least there was one adult per child so that they could at least keep that end taken care of. Eric was nearly old enough to watch out for himself. Being 16 had been cause for excitement because Eric was now licensed to drive a car and could be sent to the shop two blocks over when they needed something for dinner. Tobias had been delighted to teach Eric as he had once taught Severus, Remus, Sirius, James and Lilly. He had been the most tolerant parent and was not afraid to let his car get dinged up.

Anne walked toward the middle of the group, her bear still held close to her side with one hand and the other wrapped around Eric's sleeve. She didn't look terrified but she didn't look too comfortable either. Harry was babbling away, pointing out all of the shops to her and generally trying to calm her down, Severus was endlessly thankful for that boy's talent. They hadn't yet figured out if Hermione had a talent or if she did how strong it could be, but Severus also couldn't read anything from her to even begin having a look at it. It wasn't strange; many children unconsciously shielded their minds from attack. He wasn't sure why, or why the instinct faded as they wore into their teens, but he knew that Eric's mind was almost an open book while Anne, Harry, and Hermione were almost blank to him.

"So this bank. Is it really run by Goblins?" Jean asked as they stood at the foot of the steps leading into the large marble building that was Gringotts. She seemed a little nervous and Severus knew that there was some small fear playing in the woman's mind.

"Yep, real Goblins. But don't worry; they are a civilized lot as long as you don't insult them. Never imply that they are inferior or that they shouldn't be handling your money and you are set," Remus said reassuringly and Jean gave a nod. Severus noted that her mind was less fearful but still not entirely relaxed. The Magical world could be a bit of a shocker the first time anyone saw it.

"They aren't what you see in Muggle movies or television," Sirius added after a moment and Jean nodded once more, accepting and definitely calmer than before. Severus didn't like to think that they were going to have to separate, but that was the case and so he resolved himself to be as quick as he could about collecting his money so that Jean didn't have to be alone for very long in a place that she didn't know how to operate in. Or better yet.

"Mom, could you stay with Jean to make sure everything goes well?" Severus asked and Eileen nodded, not missing a beat as she went with Jean to stand on line for the Money Exchange counter. Sirius and Remus were already headed for their vault which Severus knew was their private vault, not the Black family vault which Sirius used for larger purchases mostly to do with their house. Tobias was speaking with a Goblin as well and Severus sighed, of course his parents were going to be getting money today. He just hoped that they wouldn't spend too much of it on frivolous things that they kids simply didn't need. After all, if Sirius and Remus did and Eileen and Tobias did, then what was there left for Severus to spoil them with.

He bundled all of the kids into a cart and they headed for his personal vault. He had quite a bit of money because in addition to his earnings as a Professor he also sold potions on the side and was not above using his talent in a game of cards now and again. There were also several wise investments that he had made which had paid off gloriously. So by no means was Severus Snape a poor man, and three new children were not likely to change that, especially with his friends and family around.

Eric had been to Gringotts before but he had never gone down to the vaults, so when the cart took off he whooped and shouted like it was a roller coaster ride. Anne kept her eyes closed and her head down, she looked rather sick. Harry started around in wonder, nearly falling out of the cart in an effort to check and see if there really was a Dragon down that tunnel. Which there was, but Severus really didn't want to explain that it was there to eat people who were too curious for their own good. He maintained a firm hand on Eric and Harry's shoulders after that and Anne merely slumped against his side. If he didn't have to, he wouldn't bring Anne down again.

The trip wasn't very long and the kids stayed back in the cart while he and the Goblin handled the vault. He brought more with him than he could possibly need and then grabbed a bit more than that. They were going to have to buy just about everything on three school trips and he didn't know what prices looked like on school robes and books anymore. Not that it mattered if he had to come back for more, the Goblins might roll their eyes at him but he wouldn't mind.

The ride back to the surface was less tolerable for Anne and she barely managed to keep her lunch down. Severus cursed himself for not thinking to do lunch second, especially with children around.

Everyone met back up on the steps and they made their way to the bookshop as a group.

(A/N: I do know that the next chapter will pick right back up where this one left off, but that's about all that I do know. Let me know what you thought.)


	12. Diagon Alley Part 2

(A/N: Here is yet another chapter. I don't own Harry Potter, I just want to remind you all of that. This is going to be quite the long story and I'm sorry if this chapter isn't up to scratch, I felt that it was necessary to write down the Diagon Alley trip so I'm sorry if you don't find it exciting.)

Chapter 12—Diagon Alley Part 2

Sirius had the task of being point man and carried a proper supply list as he led the way into Flourish and Blots bookshop. With all of the kids being infinitely more excited about books than almost any other part of the trip, they had decided to go there first so that they could get the basics out of the way. It was an insurance plan for good behavior, because they had promised to stop back into the store for some recreational reading books if the kids made it through the day without being reprimanded. Severus knew that they would stop by again regardless of almost any terrible behavior, he wasn't about to discourage reading.

They probably looked like Christmas come early to the shopkeeper what with three First Year students and a Fifth Year gearing up for the dreaded O.W.L.'s. Tobias was the man in charge of time management and that was a good thing too, because nearly everyone else was distracted within moments. While they managed to acquire the books on their lists, there were a number of books that were simply too interesting for them to just walk right past.

"Okay, this isn't going to work. Everyone, make a list of the books you want to come back for. We have other things to do today," Eileen said at last, clapping her hands sternly and causing Severus, Remus and Sirius to snap to attention at the memory of several school shopping trips in their youth. Soon there were four towering stacks of books on the counter and Severus and Jean had handed over more money than they cared to think about. Severus quietly promised himself that he would take care of any extra reading material that Hermione might want.

Cauldrons were next, and it was nearly as difficult to get everyone back out of the apothecary as it was the bookstore. It became even more complicated when Sirius dragged Severus into a discussion over which ingredients would be best to make a more reliable burn salve. Even Eileen couldn't resist that conversation and were it not for Tobias and Jean, the children would have run rampant, picking up ingredients meant for potions far above their year level. As it was, they spent nearly an hour in the Apothecary, and spent another small fortune to get out again.

Telescopes and robes proved to be far easier. Everyone needed new robes and cloaks, so the adults left the children in Madam Malkin's capable hands and broke off into separate groups to go and pick up the miscellaneous portions of the shopping lists. Dragon hide gloves, telescopes, scales and phials, all were much easily gathered and bought when there were not children darting off to look at everything in the entire shop.

It was also quietly discussed whether they would purchase familiars for the children later that day. None of the adults saw a drawback to the situation and so it was decided that after robes and wands, they would make a stop to look at potential pets.

By the time they returned to the robe shop, all school clothing needs had been attended to and there was only the matter of the bill left to settle. Again it became clear just how expensive it had become to put a child through school. Severus began to wonder if perhaps that was the reason that Molly Weasley would allow her youngest son to be used as Dumbledore's pawn. Sure the boy had a natural need to feel important, but the Weasley family was also notoriously poor and if Dumbledore was offering to pay her, then it might just make sense.

Wands were an interesting event to say the least. Anne's wand chose her fairly quickly, blackthorn and dragon heartstring 9 and ¼ inches, a wand Severus knew, with the potential for great darkness. He didn't say it because he didn't want her to be afraid, but the want that had selected her, though not likely to lead her down a dark road, would follow her toward any evil that she mistakenly came upon. It wasn't a think like Eric's which had been beech wood and unicorn hair 12 inches exactly, the wand of a pure hearted wizard and one that would resist evil actively.

Harry's wand was nearly impossible to find, but when it did come to him it was holly and phoenix feather 11 inches and Severus did not let Olivander tell the boy just who had had the brother wand. It left a sick feeling in the Potions Master's gut, but he couldn't make the wand select someone else. He had avoided explaining the Voldemort thing to Harry, but knew that it was something he could no longer ignore. At least if he did it, with family and friends around, then Harry might not have cause to be so frightened.

Hermione's wand was a vine wood wand with dragon heartstring 10 and ¾ inches long. Anne and Hermione celebrated at having wands with similar core woods and Severus smiled slightly. As long as that innocence remained then there might just be a chance that the tendencies of Anne's wand would never be an issue. Jean was proud of her daughter, and it almost seemed that she hadn't believed that Hermione was truly a Witch until a burst of silvery sparks had declared the wand her own.

Wand prices hadn't changed in the least and so for 21 galleons they made it out of the shop and headed toward the Magical Menagerie where the children could see if they found a familiar to their liking.

The shop was dark and loud and smelt of several different animal species, but all of the children were instantly intrigued by the idea of having a pet. Anne didn't quite see why she needed on when she had Harry the bear, but soon warmed up to a basket full of kittens. She and Hermione were completely taken with the tiny half-kneazles and neither girl considered any of the other animals that the shop had on hand. Hermione was picked by a ginger kitten and Anne was chosen by a fluffy grey kitten. They carried the kittens around in their arms, beaming at the little purring balls of fur.

Neither Harry nor Eric wanted to take a cat with them, and though Eric was tempted to pick out a brilliantly blue toad, both boys ended up with Owls. Harry had a Snow Owl attached to his arm and Eric had taken a massive Eagle Owl as his own as both birds seemed to get along and didn't want to leave one another. No one was denied their pet, as Sirius and Remus were paying for the lot of them.

Most of the day had elapsed by time they made their way back to the bookstore. The recreational reading stacks of books were enough that between the kids, they had filled a Hogwarts trunk. Severus, Remus and Sirius did not say no to a single purchase, though some books were put away for Christmas.

They grabbed another meal at the Leaky Cauldron before heading home.

(A/N: Let me know what you thought. I don't have an ETA for the next chapter, but as always, thanks much for reading! Oh, and Anne's wand is just my Pottermore wand. It all but told me that I'm going to be evil someday.)


	13. The Night before Hogwarts

(A/N: My apologies on the wait for this one. I didn't mean to fall into a rut of not caring about anything, but I did and now I am slowly dragging myself out. As usual I am not the owner of Harry Potter or anything of said nature except the book series and an embarrassing number of stickers. Regardless, the warnings haven't changed for this story and I hope that you have realized by now that they won't. Anyway, let's get on with it shall we?)

Chapter 13—The Night before Hogwarts

Time had passed too quickly for Severus's liking. It was the day before he was going to have to drop the kids off at King's Cross, Anne and Harry's first trip through to platform 9 ¾ and something still didn't feel right. He knew that it had to do with Dumbledore, but he was no Seer, he could not put his finger on the sense of unease that had settled itself in his chest and he could not think of how to warn the children of it. Perhaps he would get lucky and Anne would be able to hold on to some of the visions that she had been having in her nightmares over the course of the last week. Though somehow he doubted it, what with her being almost entirely untrained as a Seer.

More than anything he was relying on Harry and Eric's combined abilities to keep everyone safe. After all, Empathy was a talent that the user could block if he so chose, but no one could conceal their true emotions from one. That was how they had determined what Hermione's ability was, entirely by accident, it would seem. She naturally shielded her mind, and perhaps always would, because it was capable of swallowing huge quantities of knowledge all at once. It had just taken the presence of a magical family to unlock it.

After the Diagon Alley trip, the kids had sat down to start reading the first chapters of their school books and Harry had felt Hermione's shock as she fanned through the book and was suddenly able to recite any given passage within it. The ability was not perfect, however, she might have been able to speak the words verbatim, but it would take her sitting through the lessons or reading slowly to actually understand what it all meant. Sure there were some basic things that she grasped with no trouble, but it seemed that she needed to know the foundation of a subject before she could just swallow a book whole and use it all in a practical sense.

Eric had been a touch jealous, he loved to read and was always complaining that there wasn't enough time to read all of the books that he wanted to or get to all of the subjects that interested him because his eyes got tired. He got over it though when the complication came up, saying that gaining all of that knowledge at once, stuffed into his head without anywhere to go was likely to drive him mad. Severus determined that Hermione was only able to process it so well because of her natural tendency to shield her mind, which must have led to a natural organization.

The talk with Harry about Voldemort had gone over well, mostly because he already seemed to know the truth thanks to years of tag team efforts between Anne and himself when it came to sorting out the dreams he had. Severus had been quick to assure the children that Voldemort was dead, well and truly dead and that no matter what Dumbledore seemed to think, the Dark Lord would not be back.

"Uncle Severus," Anne's voice was soft and tired; she was wrapped in her pajamas and her hair still damp from her bath, which, after a day of flying lessons in the yard (under concealment charms of course) had been entirely necessary. He smiled at her and set aside his stack of files, the lesson plans that he had been working on for the last few weeks whenever he had a spare minute.

"Yes Anne?" he asked quietly as she climbed into his lap, a slightly more difficult task now that she was the size of a regular 11 year old. But still, he knew that it would be quite some time before he denied any of them the affection that they craved. She didn't speak until she was fully settled against his chest with her head pressed against his collar bone; it was how she normally sat with Eileen.

"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," she confided softly and he felt the beginnings of tears from her chaotic thoughts. Gently he rubbed her back as Eileen had always done with him when he was too young to understand the voices he heard in his head.

"Why?" he asked, his tone remaining calm and measured though he was afraid of anything that could make Anne so upset, and doubly so of anything that affected Harry.

"Something evil…like those things you were telling us about…De…Dementors? I saw one killing a Unicorn. It was talking to Dumbledore and then…" she screwed up her face and Severus knew that the memory was fading fast. "It tried to hurt a funny man in one of those turban thingies…but you were there and made it explode. And…" she covered her face with the sleeve of the robe he had draped over the couch. "Dumbledore was angry and he made you go away," she finished at last, though he could feel the frustration in her mind and knew that more had gone away.

It was enough for him though. He hugged her tightly and rubbed her back comfortingly before standing up and placing her carefully on the couch. With barely a thought he summoned her bear and wrapped the both of them in his robe.

"Thank you Anne. I'm going to have your Grandmum make you some hot chocolate and the two of you can have a bit of time together before bed to watch some telly, okay?" Severus said with a smile though his mind was whirling away with thought. Anne just nodded and smiled when he placed the remote control, or by Harry's logic, the Muggle Wand, into her hands. He already knew that she would be watching Ice Hockey when Eileen joined her, something that she had picked up from Tobias.

Severus didn't even need to tell Eileen what was going on, one of the benefits of sharing a talent with his mother. Cocoa was made and the couch taken up as he made his way to the fireplace to call the one person at Hogwarts that he knew would listen.

"Oh, Severus, you startled me," Minerva's voice managed to shift from shocked to pleasant in a single breath as she had gotten used to him calling at nearly every hour of the day or night.

"Minerva, I need to know a few things. Chief among them is whether or not anyone has taken to wearing a turban," Severus asked and if Minerva was confused by the question she didn't let it show on her face.

"Not taken to per se, but the new Defense teacher Professor Quirrell he wears one," she said and waited for Severus to process the news. She was also waiting herself to see just how such a question was relevant.

"Anne Saw something. She had a vision of Dumbledore and something that she thought was a Dementor. But she said it killed a Unicorn and spoke to Dumbledore…I think that he might be trying to call up Voldemort's shade. It should be too far gone now to be of any real threat, but she said that it tried to attack Quirrell. Apparently, I am going to be fired for destroying it. All of this has resulted in Anne believing that it is not safe for her to go to school," Severus said and watched as Minerva's face twisted into a scowl.

"Necromancy? I would like to think that even Albus is not foolish enough to believe that he can control what he conjures. Did she say anything else?" Minerva asked and Severus was disappointed to have to shake his head in the negative.

"She knew that there was more, but she couldn't hold onto it," Severus allowed softly, frustrated but knowing that there was nothing to be done about it.

"Then come as usual Severus, it would seem that you are integral to saving our Defense teacher from an early demise. But should Dumbledore attempt to fire you I insist that you come to me. You have tenure and it must be put before the Board of Governors before it is allowed. And if they do fire you, well, I will just be forced to sign the transfer slips to allow you to homeschool your children, and the young Hermione if that is what her Mother would want," Minerva said pleasantly, always knowing just how to reassure her younger colleague.

"Thank you Minerva. I sincerely hope that no such events come to pass, that perhaps we might be able to locate the resources that Albus might use and secret them away to prevent this all before it happens," Severus said with just a trace of optimism and a smile.

A short time later Severus ended the call with Minerva and flooed over to Sirius and Remus's house to give them a quick rundown of the situation. Both men were on the Board of Governors and had assured him that they would throw all of the weight carried by the name of Black into the fight if needed. But that wasn't truly what mattered to him, no, he needed to be certain that he had Remus on board to teach Charms and History of Magic and Sirius to teach Transfiguration if it became necessary.

(A/N: Well, now that I am back, it feels weird to realize that this has gotten so long. I hope that you liked this chapter and that you will leave me a review to let me know what you thought. All flames will be used to heat the cauldrons.


	14. The First Day Begins

(A/N: Have I been gone long? I don't know if I have, but if I have, please forgive me. I don't own anything and I never will, I can promise you that. Anyway, the warnings haven't changed at all though I do have to add one, this story will now contain slight, very slight Percy Weasley/OMC and it won't be the main focus or anything like that, but I wanted you to know. On with the show!)

Chapter 14—The First Day Begins

The next morning was a well-organized affair; Tobias and Eileen were well practiced at it after having been the ones to get Severus, Lily, James, Remus and Sirius to and from Hogwarts for the start of the year and Christmas break for several years. Everything was accounted for; trunks packed up and placed into pockets under shrinking charms and the reversal for said charm drilled into each child's head. With Dumbledore having tampered with the Hogwarts letters there was almost no doubt that he would do something to their trunks so they would solve that simply by bringing them along for the ride.

When they met Hermione and Jean at the station Severus discretely shrunk Hermione's trunk as well after leading all of them onto the platform. No one was surprised when Sirius and Remus showed up to help see the kids off and even Hermione hugged them good-bye, her emotions roiling near the surface at the prospect of not seeing her mother until Christmas. Harry seemed to take it upon himself to calm her down but she was still almost in tears when she got onto the train.

"Don't worry Jean, I will look after her," Severus promised softly as they all stood waving good-bye to their children until well after the train was out of sight.

"Thank you Severus," Jean said in reply and with that Severus bid them good-bye and turned on the spot, Apparating to the edge of Hogwarts's powerful wards. His trunks were already in his pockets and he had several spares which he intended to fill with the contents of his office and personal quarters so that he could leave at any moment if he needed to. He had also taught Eric the quick packing charm so that all of the kids could do the same. He had no doubts that they would all be in the same House as he had already lectured them on making sure that the hat didn't bully them into choosing the wrong one. Of course he was fairly certain that Dumbledore could not affect the hat, but he wanted to cover all of his bases.

At the doors he was greeted by Minerva and Quirrell, he invited them to his chambers, knowing that there was much to discuss.

Back on the train Harry, Hermione, Anne, and Eric had found a compartment to themselves and were all settled in, too nervous to really speak for the first several miles of the journey. Eric was carefully twirling his wand through the motions of the charm that Severus had taught him and thinking about what it would be like to have all of his younger siblings in the same House as him. It was nearly impossible for him not to see the trio as siblings, after all he and Anne really were siblings and she seemed to have adopted Harry as something of a twin brother. Hermione was perhaps the easiest to separate out and view as different, but she and Harry got along so well that it was nearly impossible to say that there wasn't some sort of bond at work.

There was a knock on the door and all of them looked up to see a head of red hair and a pair of glasses. Eric smiled vaguely and waved for the other student to come in, at once they noticed the shiny new prefect's badge on the robes he wore.

"Hello Percy made Prefect I see," Eric said pleasantly and Percy gave a smile.

"Indeed, I'm not shocked that you didn't though, rumor has it no one in Ravenclaw got picked," Percy commented as he sat beside Eric.

"Ah, well, I didn't want it anyway. I'm going to be too busy settling this lot in. Oh, right. Percy Weasley, this is Anne Snape, my sister, Harry Potter, our adopted brother, and Hermione Granger, another sort of adopted sibling," Eric said with a smile and everyone greeted each other with a quick smile and nod.

"I was actually meaning to tell you, my youngest brother Ron is starting this year as well. But I wouldn't let anyone get too close to him just yet," Percy's voice seemed strained and he looked concerned, Harry picked up on it at once and listened intently. "He's been weird the last few months, Ginny as well. But I wasn't there when it started, Dad said that he just came home one night and they weren't acting like themselves. He got suspicious and tried to finite them…either there wasn't a spell or it was cast by someone stronger than my Father, and there aren't many people that are. Anyway, I am going to look into it since I have access to the Restricted Section this year, I was hoping that you would as well, but I think I can give you permission," Percy said and scrubbed a hand through his hair. Harry took a moment to wonder why Eric hadn't brought it up that he was friends with one of the Weasley family members, but chalked it up to a lack of concern. After all, Percy wasn't one that they had to watch out for.

"You know I'll help Percy. I'm always up for a challenge," Eric said with a faint smile and knocked his shoulder against Percy's as he attempted not to think about the fact that he was about 8 inches shorter than the other boy.

"Thanks Eric," Percy whispered and Harry blushed as he realized that the brief handshake and hug was not the only good-bye the boys wished to have. But with company both of them flushed in embarrassment and Percy left a bit more quickly than he otherwise would have.

"Go and give him his kiss Eric," Harry said softly and Eric's blush crept up to his ears.

"I will later," the 5th year Ravenclaw said with a nervous cough.

"Why didn't you say anything Eric? Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus are together…" Anne said as she caught on to what Harry had meant.

"I didn't know how serious he thought we were…or if he would be different this year. Besides, this isn't really the sort of thing I mean to talk about with you lot. You're a bit young," Eric said in the hopes that it would end the conversation.

"As long as you at least talk to Uncle Severus about it," Harry said with a smile.

"Already did. Now all of you leave my personal life alone and get your wands. Uncle Severus wants us to be able to pick up and go at a moment's notice," Eric said and the conversation was quickly abandoned in favor of learning a new spell.

The rest of the train ride was spent shrinking and unshrinking and packing and unpacking trunks with only a brief interlude to change into their robes and another when the food trolley came by. For Eric it was certainly hard to believe that any of them would be sorted anywhere other than Ravenclaw and he was glad to know that he would be able to keep an eye on them. After all, he had had the grades and the proper lack of detention to make sure that he would make Prefect along with Percy so that they wouldn't have to cut back on time together, but it seemed that he had been foiled, likely by Dumbledore.

(A/N: Well, leave me a note and let me know what you thought. I hope that you liked it and I hope to have the next bit of this up in a week or so, my messed up schedule permitting.)


	15. The Sorting and Welcoming Feast

(A/N: I am so very sorry for being gone so long. I am getting better though, my Doctor has me on these lovely awesome pills that keep my mind organized, and I am finally getting things back together. So I hope to be updating more regularly from now on. Anyway, there is still a Percy Weasley/OMC warning, since someone didn't seem to see that last time. At any rate, I don't own anything. I never will. And now you have waited long enough, so on with the show!)

Chapter 15—The Sorting and Welcoming Feast

The trip across the Black Lake had been an interesting affair; they had ridden in a boat together with a boy named Neville and a toad named Trevor. When Neville got sick Harry had to keep him from falling out of the boat, and when Anne got sick as a result, Hermione had to hold both of their cats, and Anne's hair. Kids from other boats laughed at them and all four children blushed brightly, though Harry's seemed to be more a flush of agitation than embarrassment.

Harry, Anne, and Hermione each smiled and waved when Professor McGonagall stepped forward to lead them into the Great Hall. The stern Scottish witch smiled in return but was careful to make it look like she was smiling at the entire group. New students were not supposed to know the Professors, thus preventing the chances of favoritism. How Severus was going to hide the fact that he was caring for two of the new students, and was decently involved in the life of a third, was beyond her.

Standing in line to be Sorted was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences in the world. Hermione was the first of them to go up, and she got Sorted into Ravenclaw, earning riotous cheer from Eric and the other Ravenclaw students. Neville Longbottom looked shocked to be sorted into Gryffindor, but his name must have meant something to the kids there because they also cheered heartily.

The entire Hall seemed to hold its breath when Harry was called and Anne watched her brother carefully as he walked up to the Hat. He was terrified; she didn't need to be an Empath like he was to know that. The Hat spent a long time sitting on Harry's head, covering his eyes and ears, muttering quietly, and waiting for responses from Harry himself. Quiet murmurs of speculation broke out throughout the Hall when it came to three minutes that the Hat had sat on the young boy's head. But then Harry clutched at the stool that he was sitting on and the Hat took a deep breath, or seemed to at least, before declaring Harry a Ravenclaw.

Screaming and cheering, and stomping and standing burst out from Ravenclaw and Harry ran to the table, hugging Hermione and Eric fiercely before taking a seat and training his eyes on Anne. She swallowed thickly as she realized that it was up to her to get into the same House as her brothers and Hermione. With Harry the Bear stashed in her robes, she was certain that she could be strong, even if she wasn't in the same dorm as them, but she was still scared.

When she was called to the front, her eyes found Uncle Severus and he gave her a reassuring nod, a small smile quirking his lips. She breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the stool, closing her eyes and shouting Ravenclaw inside of her mind.

"Ravenclaw? There certainly are a lot of you this year. You sure you don't want Gryffindor? Brave little girl you are, to be through what you went through. Or perhaps Slytherin, strong thirst knowledge you have there, and quite the basket of secrets," the hat pondered and Anne shouted the word again, silently but the Hat seemed to hear her because a half second later, it placed her with her family. The cheering was far more subdued than it had been for Harry, but she didn't care. She hugged her friends and watched the rest of the Sorting with relief flooding her veins.

The upset of the evening came when Percy's little brother Ron was sorted into Slytherin. The little red head cried openly, Slytherin students sneered and Gryffindor kids stared in quiet shock. Eric's jaw was clenched, his eyes locked with Percy's, conveying a silent conversation, leaving Anne and Harry to wonder what, if any, Power Percy had.

"There hasn't been a Weasley outside of Gryffindor in several generations, and never one in Slytherin," Eric explained quietly while the Sorting Ceremony was brought to a close by the eccentric old man that they had learned to fear and distrust. Anne began to snatch up food with the rest of the table while she considered what it was that Percy had told them on the train. She had never Seen anything to do with the other First Year.

"Do you think it has to do with what Percy said? A spell or something messing with his head?" Harry asked carefully. "I mean, if something like a spell can cheat something as powerful as that Hat," he added, ducking his head and hoping not to be asked to explain the torrent of conflicting emotions Ron had felt. He was barely in control of his ability and the children in the Hall were almost enough to wipe out his control. It was nearly as bad as being in Diagon Alley.

"It would have to be a really advanced, really Dark spell to do that. I'm afraid for Ron. If Percy is right, and there is a spell, and Arthur Weasley couldn't manage to cancel it, then there is something dangerous going on. I will get you guys settled in this week, but I am going to have to help Percy. We need to get Ron back to normal before someone hurts him or uses him to hurt someone else. It's too suspicious with Dumbledore trying to maneuver him into your life Harry. Keep your guard up," Eric said quietly, his protective behavior concerning Anne having spread to his new little brother.

"What can you and Percy do about it though? I have read about Dumbledore, and he isn't someone you want to mess with, or so I understand. They call him the most powerful wizard of our age. How can two Fifth Year students hope to challenge that?" Hermione said quietly and Eric's face morphed into a frown, his fists clenched against the table.

"You may be right Hermione…Percy and I won't be enough. But if we get Uncle Severus…" he trailed off and began to play with his food, eyes lost in thought. Harry calmly assured Hermione that she had not upset the other boy while Anne watched her brother in concern. She felt like she was cut off from her abilities in the strange castle called Hogwarts, and she desperately wanted to be able to help.

The rest of the Welcoming Feast was spent quietly talking over classes and Professors. All of their thoughts heaped upon the situation with Ron and Dumbledore. Anne kept trying to Ask for information and kept running up against the same wall as she had been since entering the castle. She would make a point of visiting Uncle Severus to try to get it sorted out. After all, she knew that Eric and Harry both could still use their abilities in the castle; she ought to as well, especially since she wasn't very good at shielding yet.

The Ravenclaw students had indeed wound up with no new Prefects, and some of the upper year students were extremely displeased with that thought, as it made more work for them. Eric was made an impromptu Prefect by a Seventh Year girl, given the password and told to help ensure that the group made it to the tower. Though distracted, Anne's brother did just that, giving out helpful tips and bits of trivia along the way, just as he would were he a real Prefect. Harry and Hermione stared around in wonder, learning their way to the common room in a single trip. They were going to have to make sure to show Anne around, as she slipped into thought and merely followed everyone else. The trouble with her abilities soaking up the whole of her minds power, even Ron seemed a distant idea.

(A/N: There it is, I hope to see you next time. Leave me a review to let me know what you thought. Okay? Thanks and I hope you enjoyed the read!)


	16. A Strange Start

(A/N: So here it is, yet another chapter for you lovely people. I know that it is shorter than the others, but I didn't want to risk running into the next chapter and winding up with something that was more massive than any of the other chapters that I had already put up. Now, I haven't changed any of the warnings, though none of them matter for this particular chapter. I still can't believe that some people can be that homophobic…regardless, I am happy for those of you that have stuck around. Now, I don't own Harry Potter, and I am going to stop ranting. On with the show!)

Chapter 16—A Strange Start

The first day at the school was actually a day off, which the new students used to follow their Prefects around, learning the way to classes and secret shortcuts that weren't on the maps they'd been given. They also used it to complete the assessment assignments that their Professors had handed out at breakfast. The assignments were simple enough, mostly involving practical information that could be obtained by reading the first chapter of their school books. Eric even managed a laugh when he realized that the only Professor that hadn't passed out the assignments—which were a new idea of the staff—was the ghost, Professor Binns.

"I wish that they had done this when I was a First Year," Eric said, flipping through the parchments that had been handed out to his siblings. He was making a stellar effort to focus on them, managing to keep even Harry from feeling his unease and concern.

"I didn't think they would do it. I never read it anywhere in _Hogwarts: A History_" Hermione said, her mind already placing answers that it had absorbed from her books. She was smiling, glad that she wasn't going to start her academic career at Hogwarts with poor grades. Eric offered her a smile, all of them had read that book like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Of course, he considered it going into battle well-armed and forewarned of everything and anything that the castle could throw at them. In the long run, it might even keep them safer should someone actually be trying to hurt them.

"Sometimes things need to change. It's just that simple," Harry said, fishing a bottle of ink and a quill out of his bag and sitting on one of the chairs in the Common Room. His friends copied them and Eric stood, indecisive. He had already given them the grand tour of the castle, pointing out trick stairs and secret passages. They could all find their classes individually, so that even if separated from the group, they would still be able to find their way. He had done exactly what he needed to do to keep them safe.

"Eric. Later on, will you take me to see Uncle Severus?" Anne asked and Eric raised an eyebrow, his sister seemed to be hiding something that made her uncomfortable. But he knew well enough from her expression that she wasn't exactly up to sharing. He gave her a smile and ruffled her hair, blinking when he caught a strange impression of unfamiliar magic from her. It radiated like a prickly aura and his thoughts drifted away from Percy and Ron to focus entirely on his little sister. Normally when he touched anyone, he would get the sense of where they had been, or even an image of something they had done, Anne was just a blank.

"You bet I will. I think we should all sneak down to see him. You guys will like his place. It's just like home," Eric said smiling, knowing that he could raise the subject of Ron and Percy with his Uncle and there wouldn't be any problems. He pulled out a scrap of parchment, he always had some on him, and penned a quick note to Percy, telling him when and where to meet them. He charmed the paper with a quick word that the First Years missed and the paper folded itself into an airplane and zipped away, a hasty disillusionment charm smacking it in the backside as it went.

"Does he let you borrow his books?" Hermione asked and everyone smiled at her, laughing brightly. She grinned and pulled her hair back into a ponytail so that it wouldn't get into her ink. All of them were thankful to Eileen for having taken the time to teach them how to write with quills so that they didn't make a mess.

"Yes he does. As a standard rule, he will threaten you with death if you damage one, but it's meaningless. He just wants you to know how to respect other people's stuff. My Second Year, some of the other kids, Gryffindors I think, grabbed my bag and tore up all of my books. I guess they figured out that I was related to Uncle Severus, though I don't know how they would have found out. I brought the whole mess to him and he fixed it. Then he put a tracking spell on me so that he could tell if I was in danger," Eric said and Anne stared in horror, both at the concept of someone not liking her brother and the idea of books being destroyed.

"Well none of us would ever hurt a book," Hermione assured, while Harry reached out and petted Anne's hand, calming her down. It wouldn't do for the rest of the Common Room to hear her fly off the handle about Eric being in danger.

"If I can't sleep…" Anne blushed and played with Harry the Bear's ears. "Will I get in trouble if I come and see you?" she asked, directing large sad eyes toward Eric. It was rare that she ask to sleep in his bed, but it had been allowed and perfectly normal at Spinner's End.

"No, they don't have a problem with it as long as it is siblings. But even if you think of Harry as a brother, there are charms that will keep you from climbing into his bed, the same goes with Hermione," Eric provided, knowing that dormitory rules varied from House to House. Though he figured that Ravenclaw was probably one of the more lenient Houses when it came to that sort of thing, as there was no bravado to stand on when it came to younger kids needing comfort.

"Okay," Anne whispered, turning back to her homework. They all silently did the work they had been given, flipping through page after page nearly in sync. Some of the work they had been given belonged to elective classes that they had gone ahead and bought the books for, they wondered if they would succeed in earning a place in such classes.

Several quiet moments passed, turning into half an hour and then an hour. The parchment plane that Eric had sent out returned with a reply and he gave a smile, nodding in satisfaction at the affirmative response. Percy knew the way to Professor Snape's quarters; all Prefects were given the locations of Professor's personal quarters in the event of emergency. It was good that Eric hadn't been made a Prefect; he realized as he sat back in his chair, otherwise he would be too busy to help his siblings with things. A grin replaced the smile, Dumbledore may have been plotting, but for once it hadn't worked out in his favor.

(A/N: I hope that you liked it. Hopefully the next chapter will be up with the same sort of promptness as this one, perhaps even a little more so since I know where I want it to go and how I want it to sound. I don't know. Leave me a review if you can and I will see you next time!)


	17. Dinnertime Discussions

(A/N: Sorry for having been gone for so long. I know that it wasn't the normal huge wait that you folks have to deal with from me, but I am still sorry. There isn't anything different in the warnings for this chapter. There is some boy/boy snuggling, but seriously, if you can't handle that then I don't know what to do with the world. Anyway, this chapter is still a bit slow, but I am pretty sure that as of next chapter, things start picking up. On with the show!)

Chapter 17—Dinnertime Discussions

Eric accompanied his younger siblings to dinner that night, after he had checked over their placement assignments and assured himself that, yes, his little brother and sisters were well suited to their house. He was also certain that they were going to be placed in higher level classes than many other kids in their year. If nothing else, their Uncle Severus was going to be proud of them.

Anne walked beside him, sticking her feet out dramatically in front of her as she stepped, pretending that she was a giant, stomping on pumpkin fields. The little bear that was Harry, sat tucked inside of her robes, its startling green eyes peeping over her collar. Just behind him, holding Hermione's shaking hand, Harry walked with his own blanket draped around his shoulders under his robe. The fact that Hermione was so shaky had nothing to do with the cold or fear, she was nursing a migraine that a headache potion hadn't been able to tame, after having flipped through one too many books in the Ravenclaw library.

The headache was no problem, Hermione had assured them that she would be able to eat dinner, and Eric knew that Uncle Severus would have a stronger dose of headache potion that any student would be allowed to possess privately. Still, even with the pain, and the admittedly tense atmosphere that had come with watching out for Dumbledore's manipulations, the kids seemed to be overjoyed to be at Hogwarts.

It had been somewhat the same for Eric. Knowing that magic existed, and seeing a place that it had built were two entirely different things. All of them had stared in awe when they'd first gone to Diagon Alley, and he didn't know anyone that wasn't occasionally floored by the sheer arcane force that held the castle together. He couldn't wait until one of them got into their first argument with a suit of armor. Those were always priceless.

"Eric? Why don't other kids sit with their siblings?" Harry asked, looking around at the various groups that occupied the House tables. The Weasley family seemed to be the only ones that weren't dispersed, except of course for terrified little Ron at the Slytherin table. Harry could see a blonde boy sitting beside him, trying to reassure the redhead, a firm hand on his shoulder, sympathy evident in his thoughts.

"When you get to Hogwarts you make friends, and your friends become your family. You usually only see the younger students, First Years and Second Years mostly, sitting with their siblings for a sense of guidance. Don't think they don't like each other, or that they never talk, it just works that way," Eric said, leaning over to grab a biscuit from a nearby platter. As much as they had eaten when they lived at home with Uncle Severus, there was something about Hogwarts that encouraged them to eat a bit more. Eric suspected that it was the House Elf magic in the food.

"Will you ever want us to stop sitting with you?" Hermione asked, spooning her soup around in the bowl as she looked up at him in concern. Eric smiled, feeling even more like the big brother that he was to them all.

"No. But you might want to stop sitting with me and that is okay too. I am a Fifth Year, you know, I might not be here long enough for you to want to leave me alone. And," he lowered his voice several octaves, "You know that we might not be here even that long," he said, earning nods of acknowledgement, though he knew that all of them had their fears about separation and that he was never going to be done allaying them. He looked toward the Gryffindor table and sighed, if he left Hogwarts, the situation with Percy was going to become complicated, but he was willing to deal with it in time.

"I'll never want to stop sitting with you Eric," Anne said, seeming proud as she puffed up slightly. She didn't yet have a concept of people growing up or having families of their own. Part of him figured that it had everything to do with Uncle Severus still living with their Grandparents. He just didn't know how to explain that some things were a matter of convenience rather than a need for closeness.

"Well you don't have to for a long time. Now, is everyone finished with their dinner?" Eric asked, glancing around at the kids surrounding him. Hermione presented him with her empty bowl, Harry with a few crumbs and a scrap of gristle, Anne however, still had a small pile of potatoes on her plate. Eric raised an eyebrow at her expectantly and she blushed. It had taken some time to get used to the 'clear your plate' rule at Spinner's End, but she should have known that it would still apply at Hogwarts. Looking guilty she scarfed the last few bites and finished off her milk.

"Sorry. You know I get a bit full sometimes," she said and took Harry's offered hand for help getting up from the bench. Eric ruffled her hair as he stood, lifting Hermione to sit on his hip as her headache was making her head droop. She was a bit big, and Eric a bit small, but he was strong enough to make it work, and didn't mind the weight of the younger girl in the least.

"I know. But we are going to see Uncle Severus. He would have noticed. I might let you get away with it sometimes, but I am certainly not going to allow you to do so when we are going to see him," Eric said, watching in amusement as all three children flinched away from the newly appeared desert dishes. Before long they would learn to budget their stomach space so that they could eat the luscious treats that they House Elves put together, but it had taken Eric a few weeks, and continued to do so at the start of each year. He herded the kids in the direction of Ravenclaw Tower before slipping into a hidden passage that led toward the dungeons.

They could hear the sounds of other kids, likely Slytherin students, returning from dinner, in the corridor that ran parallel to the secret passage they were in. Harry's face was an ever shifting mask as he picked up on the emotions of passing students. He knew when Ron walked past as a sense of painful sorrow filled his chest, and yet the sensation was tainted with a more shallow sense of anger and fierce loyalty.

"Here's Uncle Severus's door," Eric said quietly. They had emerged from the secret passage behind a dusty antique mirror, and directly across from it was a tapestry that depicted the Slytherin family tree. Eric calmly stepped forward and with his index finger, traced a seemingly random path through the names as they branched downward. The tapestry billowed slightly and slid up the wall, revealing a mahogany door with a tarnished brass handle. Eric rested his hand on the handle for a moment and it shifted to show itself as silver, clearly the indication of an unlocking spell as he was then able to pull it open.

"How will we know how to get in?" Anne asked quietly, she had been unable to see what Eric had done, at least, not exactly. He smiled slightly and flopped back onto a well-loved couch. The room looked like it had been copied from the cozy confines of Spinner's end, except for the obvious lack of muggle devices. In their places Severus had his much larger fireplace, several shelves of potions books, and a collection of antique potions vials. None of them could resist the temptation to snuggle on the couch where Severus had obviously left their favorite afghans from home.

"Only Uncle Severus knows how to get in, and only he can tell you. Unless you are a Prefect, of course, but they can only get in if the Professor is here. Don't worry, I know that he won't mind telling you," Eric said, getting to his feet when he heard a knock outside of the door. He ushered Percy in so that they could all wait for the Professor to return. Hermione with her head aching the way it had been was already sleeping on Harry's chest, and Anne was quietly manipulating a puzzle box that Severus had left on his coffee table. Eric had no qualms about snuggling into Percy and covering them both with his cozy blanket. Uncle Severus was usually one of the last Professors to leave dinner, suspicious as he was of his Slytherin students eating habits.

(A/N: Well, I hope that you all liked it. I know that you want more, and I want to type more as well. But the discussion that needs to be had is big enough that I didn't want to stuff it in here. That would have been a massive chapter, and my computer would have protested when I tried to upload it. The thing gets angry about the strangest things. Anyway, I won't make any promises about the ETA of next chapter. But I have hope that it will be soon. Leave a review please!)


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